Get a little sunny cuisine up in Delray

A pair of barbecue items -- chicken and ribs -- are solidly prepared and sensibly plated with all-American sides like baked beans and corn as well as apple-flecked slaw, mashed cinnamon-spiced yams, and bacon-braised greens. These are rather ordinary when compared to the seafood entrées, which I found to be Sol's brightest offerings. A juicy cut of grilled dolphin, sided by three long, crisp yucca fries and thick slices of lush, ripe, red and yellow Cherokee heirloom tomatoes dressed in a lime juice and cumin-based mojo, was a light and delightful dinner. Fish of the day, grilled grouper, was equally compelling, with smoky, tangerine-oiled, grilled escarole and red lentils enhanced with ham hocks. New Orleans apparently basks in enough rays to qualify for Sol's Sun Tour too; piquant, smoky, and sweet notes mingled in blackened sea scallops bathed in a warm, shellfish-based "jambalaya vinaigrette."

32 East's praiseworthy pastry chef, Max Canter, now oversees Sol's desserts too, but the selection at this time is limited to just three not particularly challenging treats: smugglers' rum cake; a "Garcia Grinder" composed of two brownie-like chocolate chocolate-chip cookies sandwiching a wallop of Cherry Garcia ice cream; and Cuban coffee flan that was extraordinarily dark, rich, smooth, and satisfying, the flavor so coffee-intensive, I fretted over its potential to keep me up all night.

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A busy bar near the front of the restaurant, marked by a bright-orange façade, is stocked with martinis, tap beers, more than 100 bottles of wine, and contemporary cocktail concoctions like the Kavosick, a white zinfandel spritzer with watermelon schnapps and skewered gummy bear garnish; I'd be surprised to learn that they drink this in Texas or New Mexico. Few restaurants carry such creativity into the realm of nonalcoholic beverages, but Sol savvily serves a slew of homemade drinks such as lemon, lime, and orangeade, by the pitcher or glass. These offer a refreshing salve for the boldly seasoned foods and are also great for quenching thirst in a blistering hot spot -- like, for instance, Sol Kitchen.